


Ino Yamanaka is Dead

by marvel_ling



Category: Naruto
Genre: Accidental Death, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Party, Secret Crush, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-11-09 23:40:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11115333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvel_ling/pseuds/marvel_ling
Summary: "It couldn't be. He didn't make her go to that party, and he didn't force her to drink.Now he never had the chance to make things right."





	1. Chapter 1

Shikamaru was shocked when he got the news. His former best friend, Ino Yamanaka, had died. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the news. They had gotten into a fight the day before, and now she was gone.

He couldn’t help but feel like it was his fault.

It couldn’t be. He didn’t make her go to that party, and he didn’t force her to drink.

Now he never had the chance to make things right.

* * *

 

It had been a normal Friday afternoon when Shikamaru and Ino were getting a bite to eat after class. Ino was babbling on about a party that one of the college guys was throwing. Shikamaru had his head in his hand, and was trying not to fall asleep.

“Ugh, Shika, are you even listening? You’re so useless sometimes.” Ino huffed.

“Maybe I just don’t care what you wear to some douchebag’s party.” Shikamaru snapped, and crossed his arms.

“You should come with me. It will be so fun. I hear there is gonna be actual alcohol there, not just shitty beer.” The blonde grinned widely. Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Thick blonde hair covering a skull just as thick. She really didn’t get it. He’d have to spell it out for her.

“I wasn’t invited. And frankly, I don’t want to go hang out with some frat dudes.” he explained.

“You’re just mad because actual cool people want to hang out with me. And I’m actually becoming popular and you’re not.” she replied. She used that tone when what she was saying was meant to be scathing, but was disguised to be nonchalant.

Shika just stared at her. They had been friends since they were kids. And when puberty hit, he stayed the same for the most part – he was just a taller, more muscular version of his kid self, and with more hair – but Ino, she grew inside and out. She got boobs, and a curvy figure that Shika would be ashamed to admit he thought about sometimes at night, but she also became more self-conscious. She started caring about what people thought about her. She stayed his friends, but she wanted him to let go of things she deemed childish so her popular friends would accept him as well.

Popular friends that didn’t care about who she was as a person, Shika mused, but the fact that she was beautiful. She was gorgeous. He would admit that. Her blonde hair was long and fell in soft waves down her back. Her lips were pink, full, and looked soft. Her eyes were a penetrating sapphire blue, and were framed by freckles under her eyes.

“You know what Ino, be popular all you want. I’m sure being a college groupie will work out for you just fine.” he grabbed his tray and got up. He dumped it and walked outside. He heard her follow him, probably leaving her own tray in the process, because she didn’t want him to have the last word.

“College groupie!? What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, following him. He continued walking and said nothing.

“You probably will do well with the guys.” he replied.

“You’re calling me a slut.” she grabbed his arm and made him stop walking.

“That’s not what I said-”

“You said I’d do well with the college guys, so you’re calling me a slut.”

Shikamaru shrugged, looking past her. He was thinking about taking a nap when he got home. He tuned back in when she pushed his chest with her tiny hands.

“You’re just jealous that I have more friends, and that you’re a loser. No girl is going to go out with you, you’re going to be a virgin forever and die alone. Why? Because you’re such a loner freak who doesn’t care about anything.” she screeches at him.

“Well, I guess anything is better than spending your life on your back and knees for any guy who will have you. Seriously, have you considered any career path than being a trophy wife? You like these guys now, but if you marry one of these assholes, in twenty years he’s going to be working a dead end nine to five and probably have a beer gut. You idolize these guys now, but they’re nothing special, you fucking idiot.” He never talked to her like that. Most of the time he ignored her, and she rarely ever annoyed him enough to make him really mad. But enough was enough.

“At least they are doing stuff. At least they have ambition. Unlike you. You’re lazy and you’d probably bore a girl to death in bed. I don’t know why anyone would want to marry a man who goes to bed at eight like a fucking eighty-year-old. You think you’re so smart and shit, but who the fuck cares. And all you can say is that I’m a slut. God, I hate you!” she yelled the last part.

“Fine. Then you never have to see me again.” he replied smoothly.

“Good!” she yelled back, then stomped in the opposite direction. He watched her leave, then shook his head and went home.

* * *

 

Shikamaru wasn’t exactly sure of the events that occurred between Friday, when he last saw her alive, and Sunday morning when police were knocking on his door asking about her. All he knew was that she was angry at him, she went to the party of a notorious college guy, and she died.

Shikamaru’s mom came into his room at nine thirty and he was going to complain, until he saw her face. She was pale, and crying.

“Shikamaru, the police are here. It’s about Ino.”

“What happened?” he asked, concerned enough to move, but not so much to move very quickly. His mother just let out a sob and left the room. He put on his slippers and followed her, seeking answers.

Two police officers, both Uchiha, were standing in their kitchen.

“What’s going on?” Shikamaru asked. “What happened to Ino?”

“Miss Yamanaka passed away at a party last night.” The elder Uchiha, Fugaku, replied.

“She’s dead.”

This was wrong, so wrong. She couldn’t be dead. No way. This is a prank. She’s trying to get him to freak out so he’ll admit he likes her and needs her around. She paid them obviously.

The air was silent and still for far too long, and Shika sat with the unbearable realization that this wasn’t a prank. His best friend was dead.

“Why are you here? I wasn’t with her. I haven’t seen her since Friday.”

“You don’t think Shikamaru killed her?” his mother asked. Thanks mom, he thought, they probably weren’t thinking that at all.

“She wasn’t murdered. The death was accidental, but well, there’s several reports from people at the party who said she was asking for this young man.” Shika recognized him as Itachi Uchiha, Fugaku’s son.

“What happened to her?” he asked, dreading the answer.

“She… was highly intoxicated and she aspirated her vomit, asphyxiating her.” Itachi said grimly. Yoshino sobbed.

“No one was with her?” his blood was starting to pound in his ears.

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out. While it wasn’t murder, we know someone or several people were with her at the time of death and left to not be implicated for letting a minor drink, because the body was moved but not soon enough.”

“She…she was asking for me?”

“Yes, according to reports from people at the party, Miss Yamanaka was stumbling around, clearly upset, and saying your name.” Itachi answered. “What was your relationship with her?”

“She was my friend. That’s all. We got into a fight on Friday, because she thought she was better than me for having college friends. As for the party, I think she was drunk and scared, and probably regretted being there.” Shika was having a hard time trying not to cry. The reality of this was just too much to handle.

“Did Miss Yamanaka call you or contact you in anyway last night?”

“I wouldn’t know, I go to bed pretty early so I haven’t checked my phone since around nine last night.”

“May we check that please?” Itachi asked. Shika nodded and stepped with lead feet to his room. He found his phone on his night stand where he had left it. It buzzed faintly in his hand, a sign that he had unchecked messages. He waited until he was back in the kitchen to check them.

Shikamaru unlocked his phone with Itachi watching behind him. There were several texts. All from Ino.

_I’m sorry, pls forgive me, you know I love you._ Sent 10:45 pm

_Shika plz resp._ Sent 11:25

_I need u, pl,_ Sent 11:55

_help._ Sent 12:05

He also had a voicemail from her timed five minutes after the last text. He played it on speaker. Ino’s voice was very slurry, and it sounded like she was crying. It was hard to hear her from the music in the background.

“Shika, please, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please come get me. I don’t want to be here. I just- they won’t stop. I just want it to stop. I want to come home. I don’t care if you hate me. I can’t…I drank too much. They made me. I-“ the voicemail cut off. It was obvious someone had walked in and she didn’t want to be caught.

He felt numb.

“How much longer?” he asked.

“She passed away close to one am.” Itachi replied quietly behind him, understanding what he was asking.

She died only a half hour after that phone call. Who came in the room? What happened in that time? Shika had an idea, but he really didn’t want to speak for fear of being right.

“We’re so sorry for your loss.” Itachi said, putting his hand on Shika’s shoulder.

“What else do you know? I need… I need to know who’s responsible for leaving her alone to die.”

Fugaku, who had been silently looking at the floor, looked up.

“There’s video. But it’s dark, there’s a lot going on, and no one is willing to give names. Like Itachi said earlier, they are too scared to go to jail.” he replied.

“I want to see it.” Shikamaru demanded.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Out of respect for-“

“No offense, but I don’t give a fuck. She was my best friend and these assholes let her die. Maybe I can help identify them, since I really don’t care if they go to jail or whatever.” Shikamaru’s cheeks burned. Out of anger, out of determination, who knew? Fugaku stared at him.

“Okay. Let’s go down to the station. But you’re not allowed to speak of anything you see, understood?”

Shikamaru nodded and pulled on clothes, and they left.

* * *

 

And that was how he found himself in a room at the Konoha police station, watching video formatted on a computer screen from a camcorder found near the body. Fugaku had warned him that it was graphic. And it was.

Whoever was holding the camera had found Ino in the bedroom. She was half naked. Her nudity didn’t bother him so much, what bothered him was the visual evidence of his friend after making the call to him.

_“What are you doing in here?”_ a male voice asked teasingly. Ino straightened up, and shook her head.

“ _It’s just a lot going on out there.”_ she replied. The guy walked up to her.

_“Oh, I thought you were trying to make a point. You’re pretty hot. How would you like to suck me off?”_ the guy asked.

_“I don’t…I’m going to leave-“_ Ino, even drunk, seemed scared, and tried to walk around the guy. He stopped her and pushed her to her knees.

_“I wasn’t really asking. Be a good little girl, and suck my dick.”_

_“Please, I don’t want to. Someone’s coming to get me, I need to go home.”_

The camera panned down to see the man pulling out his erection. It showed him shoving it close to Ino’s mouth. She cringed and pulled away.

_“Be a good girl, come on. Open.”_ he coaxed. Ino looked up and opened her mouth, allowing the man to slide his cock into it. Her movements were sloppy, and he made her gag several times.

A new voice was heard about a minute later.

_“Hey, what’re you doing dude?”_ another man asked.

_“Having this slut suck me off. Get on the bed. Good girl.”_ he said as Ino drunkenly climbed on the bed, laying on her back. The second man walked over and pulled on Ino’s skirt, yanking it up. She grabbed his wrists, and futilely tried to make him stop.

_“Stop, I don’t want to.”_

_”Aw, she’s so drunk, look at her. Got anything else?”_ the first guy asked the second. The second male held a cup to Ino’s lips. She tried to refuse and ended up spilling the liquid all over her face. She coughed while the man holding the camera spread her legs, capturing a view of her vagina.

_“What’s your name beautiful?”_ the second man asked.

“ _Ino.”_ came the slurred mumble.

“ _Want to be fucked, Ino? Hmm?”_

_“I want to go home. Please…let me go.”_ Sobbing could be heard, but the view was focused on the cameraman sliding his dick into her.

_“Fuck, she is so tight. Oh my god, this feels so good. Dude, fuck her mouth. Make her shut up, so I can enjoy this.”_ The man grunted as he thrust into her, but panned up to show the second man kneeling next to Ino’s head, and trying to get her mouth open so he could put his cock into it.

_“Open up, pretty girl. We’ll get you home, I promise, just open your mouth.”_ The guy said. Ino opened her mouth, still crying silently. The guy thrust into her mouth. After a minute or so, the second guy came. He instructed Ino to swallow it all, but in her drunken state it took her by surprise. She gagged and threw up.

Shikamaru had to pause it. This was where she was going to die. He knew it. All because two guys decided to ignore her requests to stop.

He resumed watching after a deep breath, and was immediately angered by what he saw. Ino was choking, he could hear it, but instead of helping her, the guy fucking her finished and came on her stomach.

“ _Oh shit, dude, move her to the side. She’s throwing up.”_ The second guy pushed her hard and Ino fell off the bed on her face.

_“Shika-“_ Ino gurgled.

_“Fuck, let’s go.”_  The camera cut off.

Shikamaru sat in absolute shock. His name was her last word. He couldn’t imagine what was going through her mind as she faded away. And those guys…those guys who raped her, and let her die, he wanted to kill them.

“We shouldn’t have let you watch that.” Itachi commented.

“No, I… I’m fine. I don’t know them. I’m guessing you can get DNA from what they so graciously left behind.” Shikamaru said bitterly.

“We’re working on it.” said Itachi.

“They’re going to jail, right? They got a minor drunk and they raped her. On video, because they’re dumbasses. They deserve the worst.” Shika mumbled.

“Like I said, we’re working on it. We need to know who it is first.”

“I hope you find out soon. Between you and me, I hope I never get my hands on them.” Shikamaru replied.

“Normally, I’d consider that threat but,” Itachi lowered his voice, “Considering the situation I don’t disagree.”

* * *

 

Shikamaru was sent home, where he laid in bed and didn’t move for hours. He just replayed what he had seen over and over. Her strangled voice saying his name was the only thing he could hear.

He got a call from Itachi, who had promised to tell him who the men in the video were, at six pm that evening. The men were both college guys that he didn’t know, but he thanked Itachi for telling him. He said he felt better knowing that the men would be brought to justice. That was a lie.

He hung up the phone, told his mom he was going for a walk to clear his head, and found himself in a favorite spot of theirs.

He looked off into the sunset, remembering all the times he had with her. All the moments where it seemed like she was going to confess liking him. All the moments he wanted to do the same. He’d never forget her smile, her voice, those little lines she got between her eyebrows when she was really annoyed, how she hid her face in pictures when she got braces, and how confident she became after they were taken off. He’d never forget when she kissed him when they were thirteen. Or how he asked her to marry him when they were five. She had pushed him into a puddle and ran crying to her dad. He smiled as he walked closer to the edge.

He thought about how even though she was gone, he’d never stop loving her. And with that thought, he jumped.


	2. Alternate Ending

It was the night of the party and Shikamaru didn’t feel right. The day before he got into a fight with his best friend Ino. She was at the party, which was being hosted by a college guy. Shikamaru felt that his friend might be in trouble. Most people at the party would be older, and a pretty, young girl like her would definitely get the attention of them. At first, he ignored the feeling in his stomach, and attributed it to the general feeling he had towards parties and college frat guys. But as the night progressed, the feeling that he should check on her progressed. Sighing, he pulled on his pants and shoes, then grabbed his keys and headed out. Ino had given him the address the previous day, before things went bad.

When he arrived, there were too many cars in the driveway, so he had to park further down and walk. He weaved through cars and looked around, then realized he didn’t have a plan. How was he going to find Ino? Most, if not all, the people here were varying degrees of drunk, and since they were in college, it’s not like they’d know who she is right off hand.

He decided to pull out his phone and call her as he headed inside. It was pretty loud in the house, between the music and the sound of people; talking, cheering, drinking, puking, making out. Shikamaru moved through the people and continued to look around.

Ino’s phone went to voicemail, but lucky for him, he saw her. He put his phone away and walked up to the couch where the blonde was making out with one of the older guys. She seemed pretty into it; The guy had his hand between her legs. Shikamaru was disgusted.

“Ino.” he said her name, and she looked up to see him standing there.

“Hey, dude, fuck off.” the guy said, disappointed that the girl’s attention was elsewhere.

“What are you doing here?” her speech was slurred, which is what he was afraid of.

“I just want to make sure you get home safely. I was concerned.”

Ino seemed to light up at the notion of going home. She tried to get out from under the guy, but he grabbed her thigh and held her tight.

“Ow, let go.” she said.

“No, I don’t want you to go.” he replied, then tried to kiss her again.

“Hey, stop. She told you to let go.” Shikamaru said. He grabbed the guy and pulled him off. Ino moved away, as the guy tried to swing at Shikamaru. Shika pushed him back so he sat back on the couch. He turned to Ino.

“You have everything? Come on, let’s go.” he put his arm around her and they walked out of the party. When they reached Shikamaru’s car, Ino freaked out.

“I can’t…go home! My dad’ll know I was drinking, and I’ll be in so much trouble.” she gasped.

“Okay, okay, shh..”Shikamaru replied. “I’ll take you to my place.”

With no room to really argue, she nodded. He helped her into the car and headed back to his home.

“Shika, I feel sick.” Ino whined.

“We’re literally a minute away from my place.”

“The car is making me want to throw up.”

Shikamaru pulled into the driveway, shut off the car, and leapt out to help Ino out. He opened the door and reached over to undo her seatbelt. Ino whined again about feeling sick, then stopped mid-sentence to throw up. Shikamaru sighed yet again, but didn’t want to worry about it. He picked Ino up out of the car and reassured her as she cried apologetically.

“Ino, it’s okay. We’ll be inside in a minute.” he huffed, carrying her to the door. He told her to quiet down as they entered the house and he carried her to the bathroom.

“Are you gonna take my clothes off?” she asked.

“Well, you’re not sleeping in my bed covered in vomit.” Shika replied, and pulled her top off. He methodically removed her clothes. After picking her up and placing her in the tub, he went to get a towel and different clothes. He helped Ino shower and got her dressed.

After getting her to bed, he took a shower himself and grabbed a blanket to take with him to the couch.

“W-wait…Shika. Can you sleep here with me? I don’t want to be alone.”

He hesitated, then put the blanket back, and crawled into bed after her. She put her arms around him and laid her head against his chest.

“Thanks for coming to get me.” she mumbled.

“No problem.”

“I’m sorry about what I said to you.”

“Me too.” he turned his head and kissed her forehead. She nuzzled into him and they both fell asleep.

* * *

 

In the morning, Ino woke up to Shikamaru’s arms wrapped around her. Her memory was a bit foggy, but she remembered Shikamaru coming to the party and taking her home. She sat up slowly and looked down at Shika. He was laying on his back with his arm stretched out under her as he had shifted when she moved.

“Shika?” she nudged him gently. He stretched and rolled to his side, wrapping his arms around her. The movement made it impossible for her to sit up comfortably, and she was forced to lay down.

“Shh, it’s too early. Go back to sleep.”

“I can’t, I have a headache.” she replied. Shika kissed her forehead, eyes still closed.

“Better?”

“Kinda. Can I get up and get some medicine though?”

He sighed and let her go. Ino climbed out of bed, and noticed her clothes were different. She was wearing one of his shirts and shorts. The shirt was a little big, enough to hide the fact she wasn’t wearing a bra, but the shorts fit perfectly. A little tight around her hips and upper thighs, but flared nicely around her knees.

She went to the bathroom and grabbed some medicine, and downed it with some water from the sink. Then she went to the kitchen to get a granola bar, so the medicine wouldn’t hurt her stomach. She wasn’t prepared for Shikamaru’s parents to be up so early.

She was looking at the floor, then smelled food cooking. Ino looked up quickly to see Shika’s father sitting at the kitchen table with a newspaper. His mother stood at the stove with a spatula.

“Oh...oh no.” Ino blushed crimson. It must look very strange for her to enter the kitchen wearing Shikamaru’s clothes, and her hair was down and sleep mussed.

“Good morning, Ino.” Shikaku said.

“Good morning.” she squeaked.

“Did you need something?” Yoshino asked.

“I, uh, I took medicine, and my stomach is empty, so I wanted something to eat…if that’s okay?”

“Sit.” his mother said. Ino sat immediately in the chair closest to her, which was diagonal from Shikaku. She sat quietly, and stared at the table. Yoshino dutifully brought over some breakfast; eggs, toast, and a cup of tea.

“T-Thank you.” she was waiting for the questions. _Why are you here so early? Did you sleep with our son, you harlot? Why are you wearing his clothes?_

But the questions didn’t come.

“Thank you, dear.” Shikaku said when Yoshino brought his breakfast. He set the paper down, and they ate in silence.

Something struck Ino as odd. Yoshino never made more food than was necessary, because she never wanted to waste anything. Guests had to be planned for, and with a quick glance at the kitchen, it looked like Yoshino knew she was there.

Then, as if on cue, she figured out why. Yoshino set a pile of folded clothes next to the blonde. She took her plate, as she had finished. They were Ino’s clothes from last night. Yoshino had cleaned and folded them.

“Thank you.” Ino took her clothes and held them tightly to her chest.

“You’re welcome. Now tell Shika to get up, it’s breakfast time, and I’m not waiting for him.”

Ino nodded and turned to go back to her friend’s room. After she left, Shikaku turned to his wife.

“I don’t think you could have scared her anymore.”

“I’m not sure about that.”

“I think it was nice of Shikamaru to rescue her from that party.”

“I think so too, that’s why I didn’t comment. I mean,” Yoshino turned back to tend to the stove. “Who knows what could’ve happened to her if he hadn’t intervened?”

Meanwhile, Ino was back in Shikamaru’s room. His parents had always been nice to her, but she was still spooked.

“Shika, you have to get up. Your mom made breakfast. And she says she’s not waiting around for you.” Ino said. She set the pile of clothes on his bed and looked through it until she found her bra. The blonde yanked the shirt off and put on her bra.

“Fine, I’m getting up.” Shika mumbled. He turned his head in time to see Ino dropping the shorts on the floor to slip on her panties. “Ino!” he exclaimed, closing his eyes.

“What? You stripped me last night.” The blonde mumbled, putting the borrowed clothes back on.

“Yeah, but I didn’t _look._ ” he replied.

“Oh, look at you. What a saint.” Ino retorted. Shikamaru stood up.

“Yeah, the saint who saved your ass last night.”

Ino couldn’t argue with that. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

“You’re welcome. Now I gotta go eat breakfast before my mom “closes the kitchen’” he put his fingers up to mime air quotes, then grabbed Ino’s shoulders. He kissed her head again, then left the room. Ino was dumbfounded. That was the second time he kissed her. Maybe he likes her? Nah, he’s just trying to mess with her. Or maybe not.

Ino felt weird just sitting in Shika’s room waiting for him to get done eating so she crept back to the kitchen and sat down at the table.

“So, Ino, are you done with college guys?” Shikamaru asked her flatly, in front of his parents. Shikaku looked up from his paper. Yoshino came around the corner to look at her. Ino blushed a deep crimson.

“I wasn’t – I’m not – I mean, yeah…” she said weakly. She reached for her hair and twisted it around her fingers nervously.

“What does he mean, Ino?” Shikaku asked.

“The party I picked her up from was hosted by a college guy.” Shika replied. Ino stared at the table, almost ready to cry.

“And what were you expecting to happen at that party, Ino? I washed your clothes, I know what you were wearing. Does your father know about your poor decisions?” Yoshino asked.

“He doesn’t know, no…I was at a friend’s place when we got ready. It’s actually not my outfit, I swear.” The blonde replied. She was now wishing that she had stayed in his room.

“I’m angry, Ino,” Shikamaru said, not making eye contact. “Do you realize what would have happened if I wouldn’t have showed up? I’m angry because you’re smarter than that. And I hate that that guy would take advantage of a teenager.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have gone to that party. Thank you again for showing up when you did.”

“Would you have just let him fuck you or?”

“Shikamaru!” his parents both chastised him.

“No! I wasn’t going to…I thought I had a handle on it, but I didn’t.”

“Okay, knock it off Shika, Ino probably feels bad enough about her actions, we don’t need to make her more upset. The important thing is that nothing irreversible happened, and that you’re safe here with us.” Shikaku said. Ino nodded, wanting to cry. Shikaku gestured for a hug, so Ino stood up and walked around the table to hug him.

“Thank you.” Ino said.

“Now, we won’t tell your father about this if you promise us that you’ll never do such a stupid, reckless thing ever again.” Shikaku spoke sternly. She nodded vigorously.

“Understood.”

Meanwhile, Shikamaru had finished breakfast, and cleaned his plate for his mom.

“Alright let’s go,” he said. “I’m going to get dressed and then I’ll take you home.”

“Okay.” she replied, following him. Shika took her hand in his as they exited the kitchen.

“He loves her.” his father smiled fondly.

“Well, hopefully she’ll realize it and we won’t have to hear about anymore college boy nonsense.” Yoshino sighed.

Ino didn’t comment on the hand holding once they reached his room. Shika kicked the door shut behind him. He went to get some clothes which consisted of jeans and t-shirt. He sat on his bed to put on his shoes then motioned for Ino to come closer. She did so, and he pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him.

He reached over to his nightstand to grab something. Ino realized it was a hair tie. He put it in his mouth, then gently took her hair in his hands and pulled it up where she usually had it. He secured it with the tie and let his hands drop to her hips.

“There. That’s my Ino.” he murmured. He kissed her cheek. “Now, let’s get you home. I don’t think you want to wear those heels, so I’ll carry you out to the car.”

“Thank you, Shika.”

He had her carry her clothes and shoes, then after saying goodbye to his parents, he picked her up and carried her out to the car.

They were quiet on the drive to Ino’s home. She looked over at him every so often to see if she could figure out what he was thinking. He just stared ahead, silent.

“What did you mean?” Ino asked when they were close to her house.

“Hmm?”

“You said ‘my Ino.’ What did you mean by that?” she added.

Shika was silent for a moment, and she could tell he was thinking about his answer.

“Well, I just meant that your hair in a ponytail, wearing shorts and a t-shirt, you know. That’s who you are. That’s how I like to see you, hence ‘my Ino.’ When I put your hair up, it made you look normal.” he replied.

Ino was quiet, mulling that over. He pulled into her driveway and shut the car off.

“Shika, wait,” she grabbed his arm before he could get out. “Do you have a crush on me?”

He turned his head to make eye contact with her.

“Would you have a problem with that?”

“No, no, I don’t think I do.”

“Good.” he replied, leaning over to kiss her. He got out and ran around to open the door. Ino wrapped her arms around his neck so he could carefully lift her out of the car.

When Shika straightened up, he turned to see Ino’s father storming over to them.

“Ino Yamanaka, where have you been!?”

“It’s my fault, sir. Ino told you she was over at Sakura’s, but that was a cover so she could come see me.”

Inoichi’s eyes narrowed looking at Shikamaru.

“And your parents were okay with it?” he asked. Shikamaru nodded. “So, if I call your father he’s going to say that he knows and is okay with my daughter spending the night over at your house?”

“Go ahead. My mom made her breakfast.”

They followed Inoichi inside where Shikamaru could finally put Ino down. Her father brought the phone over, staring them down while he called the Naras.

“Hi Shikaku, yeah, I’m fine. I have Shikamaru here and he says that my daughter was over there last night. You know about this? Really? Uh huh. Okay, interesting. You too, talk to you later.” he hangs up and crosses his arms. “You, young lady, are in so much trouble.”

Ino’s eyes widened. Shikaku told her that he wouldn’t tell her dad.

“Sneaking over to a boy’s house in the middle of the night? What on Earth were you thinking? Shikamaru is probably one of the better guys around, but you still should have told me. You’re still teens. Don’t do something you’ll regret.” Inoichi said.

“Yes, daddy.” Ino replied, looking down at her feet.

“Get home son.” he added.

“Yes, sir.” Shikamaru said. He kissed Ino’s head and told her he’d see her later.

* * *

 

Monday morning.

Ino showed up to school wearing the shirt Shikamaru let her wear with a pair of jeans. She met him on the steps of the school.

“I thought I was going to be late! I forgot to set my alarm!” she said, flinging her arms around him. He kisses her.

“Well, at least you look cute,” he replied. She smiles and takes his hand. They walk into the school. “How much trouble did you get into?”

“A bit. I’m grounded for two weeks. And I have to go straight home after school.”

“Well, I guess that’s better than what would’ve happened at the party.” he replied.

The pair pass Ino’s popular friends who start to wave at her, then stop when they realize she was ignoring them. They never liked Shikamaru and now that he was a part of her life in a more significant way, Ino didn’t want anything to do with them.

They reached her locker and stopped walking.

“I’m glad things worked out like this.” she smiled.

“Me too. So, do you want to sneak over to my place tonight?” he replied with a grin. She rolled her eyes and smacked his arm, then turned to get her books. He smacked her butt once she was turned around, causing her to jump. He squeezed her butt in an apology.

“Come on let’s get to class you jerk.” Ino mumbled, walking away.

“So…is that a no?” he called after her, and followed her to class.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to be real honest and say that this story messed me up while writing it.


End file.
